Pages

Celebrating ADA and Creating an Inclusive Jewish Community - We Are Not There Yet

As we mark the 25th
anniversary of the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) thousands of people
around the country are both celebrating accomplishments and sharing thoughts
about the work that still lies ahead. The ADA Legacy
Project launched the "Because of the ADA I..." campaign, which
offers a collection of inspirational quotes and stories only possible because
of this groundbreaking legislation. There is absolutely progress to celebrate, but much more work still to be done.

When I
conduct professional workshops and trainings for Jewish leaders seeking to
become more inclusive, I typically begin by asking them to share their
definition of inclusion. (There are fun & catchy ways to do this, and most
recently I have been using the prompt define
inclusion in three words or less.) The reason for this set-induction is
two-fold; first, it focuses participants on the task at hand and second, it
helps participants to recognize, up front, that there is no universal
definition of inclusion.

You may
be wondering why that matters. No universal definition or standard of inclusion
means that individual organizations and school districts must figure out for themselves what inclusion means and how it might
best be accomplished in their setting. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guarantees that
people with disabilities have the same opportunities as everyone else to enjoy
employment opportunities, to purchase goods and services and to participate in
State and local government programs and services. The Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) governs how states and public agencies
provide early intervention, special education and related services to infants,
toddlers, children and youth with disabilities. Both of these laws prohibit
discrimination. Both laws describe appropriate accommodations. But neither
actually defines or explains what it means to be inclusive. As a result, there
is tremendous variation from state to state and district to district.

It gets even
more complicated for us in the Jewish world. As private, religious institutions
we are not bound by the ADA or IDEA. There are no legal mandates requiring us to
make accommodations for and/or offer inclusive opportunities for people with
disabilities and their families. Advocates of an inclusive Jewish world know
that the inclusion of Jews of all abilities is the right, moral and just thing
to do. We know that we must look past legal mandates and turn, instead, to our
own Jewish teachings and sensibilities to guide us to do what is right. But
without laws or specific mandates, Jewish leaders find themselves without the proper
support and guidance to make inclusion a reality.

How do we start?
What do we do? Must we focus on our structures or on our people? How can we
seek to bring more people into our community if we can’t accommodate their
needs once they are there? Why is it that some people feel inclusion means
everyone all together all the time while others prefer a balance of separate
and inclusive opportunities? How do we choose what is right and what is really
inclusive?

I find myself
helping to guide people to an understanding of inclusion by focusing first on
what inclusion is NOT. Jewish leaders can begin to make strides toward a more
inclusive culture when they avoid common pitfalls and assumptions:

Inclusion is NOT saying that you welcome everyone – plastering it
on websites and brochures - and then having meetings, programs or events where the
same core group attends and sticks together while others are left outside that
“inner circle”.

Inclusion is NOT an event or a program where you invite people
with disabilities to share their experiences. (That can be a really meaningful
experience for everyone, by the way – it’s just not inclusion in and of itself.)

Inclusion is NOT a favor you do for someone.

Inclusion
is NOT a social action project or something your social action committee is
“in charge of handling”. Inclusion, when it is part of the culture of a
community, offers everyone an opportunity to participate in a wide variety of
meaningful experiences.

Inclusion is NOT a place or a person – it’s not a classroom, a
quiet room, the inclusion teacher, the inclusion specialist. Inclusion is who
we are and what we do. It can’t be an after-thought or a last minute
accommodation when someone with a disability “shows up”.

Inclusion is NOT accidentally sending the message to be thankful that
you are “whole”. This is the “I’m so lucky I don’t have (fill-in-the-blank)”
message. This conveys a message of pity rather than a celebration of the gifts
each person has to offer.

In the end, the message is clear: inclusion matters, legal
mandates or not. It is incumbent upon each organization to develop an
understanding of inclusion and work toward creating a vibrant community that
includes and supports everyone.

As an award-winning Jewish Educator, Disability Inclusion Expert, Speaker, Coach and Facilitator of workshops & trainings, I offer professional coaching & expertise to develop inclusive practices and programs for a variety of organizations and schools. Contact me for a wide variety of speaking topics and workshops for professionals, lay leaders, teachers, parents and teens.

Meet Lisa

As an award-winning Jewish Educator, Disability Inclusion Expert, Speaker, Coach and Facilitator of workshops & trainings, I offer professional coaching & expertise to develop inclusive practices and programs for a variety of organizations and schools. Contact me for a wide variety of speaking topics and workshops for professionals, lay leaders, teachers, parents and teens.

Testimonials

"I just stumbled upon your blog this evening through Pinterest, and I have to say that I love your writing, especially about inclusion. I am not Jewish, I am Christian, and yet we have so much in common that reading your blog made me emotional. I love your statement about how you believe all should be included because we are all made in the image of God. Such a beautiful reminder and so very true." Sheri Dacon